Sacrifice
by Fruitbird15
Summary: He's always been soft hearted. And when a small child arrived in snowdin, it made perfect sense to take her in and protect her. But Asgore's sentries aren't blind, and Gaster and Asgore must confront the harsh realities of the life Asgore has chosen. Pre-game drabble dealing with the arrival of the first soul (not chara) in the underground.


I should be working on the gasters diary fic but a big fat writers block has descended on me, so this is the best I can manage while I try and push through that. Just a little drabble to keep my hand in.

* * *

 _Boom boom boom._  
The thudding of an armoured fist on the door echoed down the busy street of New Homes market district, the neat, painted little house trembling under each blow. Looming darkly, the figure outside set its jaw at the sound of a voice approaching from inside.  
" _-Now make sure Papyrus stays out of the kitchen, Sans, I'm still finding dried soup all over the place from the last time_ -Yes, may I-?"  
The strangely accented voice stopped dead, as the skeleton who had opened the door stared at his ruler in shock.  
And utter horror.  
"Dr Gaster." Asgore rumbled, eyes flinty.  
"Ah! Your highness! Such a, such...such a pleasure!" the scientist babbled, clutching his stained lab coat tightly to his chest. "To-to-to what do I have th-the pleasure of-?"  
"Where is it?"  
"Y-your highness?"  
"The child, Wingdings. Where is it?"  
"I have...I have no idea what you mean, I-"  
"A sentry reported a child leaving the ruins 3 weeks ago. Another sentry witnessed you scurrying quickly to the ferryman a short while later. Like you had something to hide. It wasn't hard to connect the dots. Where is it, Gaster?"  
"I-I-I don't know what you...I don't...I..." He shrank under the Kings glare, before his eyes dropped to the floor, voice becoming a quiet little whisper. "She's upstairs, sir...sorry, sir..."  
Asgore wasn't good at angry, and his heart softened at the tears beginning to trickle from Gasters eye sockets.  
"It's alright, Doctor. I won't punish you. I understand. There's nothing wrong with having a soft heart."  
"I just...I knew I should have brought her to you, I remember that big address you did after...after...but...but she was so small, and cold, and sad and I just...I just couldn't!" He was crying openly now, not even attempting to hide it. "She was crying for her mother, sir, her mother! I couldn't bear to see her die!"  
Asgore looked away to hide the agony in his own face, as the weight of what he had to do settled on his soul.  
"These are...hard times, Gaster. Sometimes things must be done for the greater good that might seem cruel, but the Humans...look at what they did, Gaster. Look what they took from me, from us! From all of us! It's hard, but this is how things are in a war. It's best to get this over with quickly. The sooner its done, the better."  
"She's such a sweet little thing, sir! She's always laughing and smiling, she isn't like them! Please, I've..I've gotten so attached to her."  
Asgore chuckled bitterly.  
"It's easy to do that with human children, isn't it? It's the eyes, I think, so big and innocent. If you aren't careful they'll have you around their little finger in a heartbeat. It's not worth the pain, Gaster. I've been down that road. It only leads to heartbreak in the end. Now stand aside."  
Gaster weakly held up a hand in front of Asgore as he went to step inside.  
"Please. Not in...not in front of my boys."  
"They are near enough grown, Gaster."  
"Still. Papyrus is, well, you know Papyrus. He's a gentle soul. And he's gotten so attached to her as well. It would...it..."  
"I understand. I'll take her back to the palace with me first."  
Gaster nodded miserably.  
And stepped aside.  
It was a nice house, neat, tidy and well lit. Trays of electrical parts were lined up with neat precision next to carefully written blueprints. And on the wall, a careful drawing in crayon.  
Three blobby figures in white, the tallest wearing a smear of red around his neck. And next to them, a blobby brown attempt at a human. Untidy writing was scrawled along the top:  
"mE aDn MY NEW firENds."  
Asgore looked away quickly as silvery laughter reached his ears from upstairs.  
"Why did the skeleton stay home from the party?"  
"SANS!"  
"Hehehehheheh! Why, Sans?"  
"He had no BODY to go with!"  
"SAAAAANS!"  
The bright laughter erupted again, ringing in his ears as he slowly began to climb the stairs, Gaster trailing in his wake.  
Asgores heart clenched as he entered the room. They were so _young._ The child gazing at him in awe was barely 5, toys scattered where she was sitting. There was a click as the taller of the two teenage skeletons staring guiltily up at him dropped the block he was holding, before quickly covering the child with a sheet. He couldn't help but smile at the youths logic. Still...  
"I am here for the child."  
"WHAT CHILD? THERE'S NO CHILD HERE! THIS IS...OUR GHOST FRIEND. WHO IS VISITING US. FROM THE GHOST PLACE."  
The child laughed, thinking it was a game.  
"Wooooo! I'm a ghost! Wooooo!"  
Slowly, eyes still on the king, Sans reached out and pulled her close to him protectively.  
"Please, sir..."  
"I'm sorry, Sans. It is the law. All humans who fall here must be delivered to me."  
"Dad?"  
Gaster said nothing under his eldest sons gaze. There was nothing he could say. When Papyrus spoke up, his heart clenched. He was so quiet...  
"But...but Dad, if he takes her...Dad, he had that huge speech about it, didn't he?" The lanky teen was tugging desperately at his scarf as he spoke, a nervous habit retained from childhood. "If he takes her, she'll...he'll..."  
"I'm sorry, Papyrus. This is out of our hands."  
The brothers fell silent, for the time the only noise the ticking of the clock and the oblivious childs giggles.  
"Can...can we say goodbye to her, sir?" Gaster whispered, arms crossed as his hands gripped his shirtsleeves tightly.  
"Of course."  
Gaster sank to his knees in front of the child as she threw off the sheet.  
"Come here, little one." As she threw herself eagerly into his arms he reached into his pocket, taking out a small pink ribbon and tying up her curly brown hair. "It might not be as good as the one you lost in the ruins, but I hope it will bring you comfort at the palace. I can't...I can't go with you there."  
"The palace?" She looked up at him, hazel eyes wide and sparkling. "I get to go to a palace? Wow! A real palace! Are there princesses there? Do I get to meet a princess?"  
Gaster faked a smile.  
"We're a touch short on princesses right now, but there are some lovely flowers this time of year."  
The child squealed in excitement, hugging herself as she bounced happily. The skeleton family shared a glance, meaning flashing between the three in an instant.  
 _Don't let her know. Let her be happy._  
He stood and bit back tears as his children said goodbye, holding her close and whispering farewells into her ear, pressing pictures, sweets and toys into her hands, little keepsakes to take with her, to comfort her. He avoided looking at his king. He didn't think he'd ever see him the same way after this.  
"It is time, child. Come with me."  
Asgore reached out a hand, and Gasters heart broke at the trusting way the child hurried over to him. He felt like a butcher, leading a trusting lamb to the slaughter. A betrayal of an innocent, a betrayal of his soul.  
"You look like a big goat, Mr king!"  
Gaster smiled weakly as he offered a gentle rebuke.  
"Don't be rude, sweetheart. He is royalty, after all."  
"Sorry Mr goat king! Are we going to the palace now? Huh? Pleeeease?"  
For the first time, Gaster looked into the kings eyes and saw the pain, searing deep as though he was back at Chara's bedside, medical bag strewn across the bed as he fought with everything he knew to save a life that had still slipped through his fingers like dust. His eyes were as heartbroken as they had been on that black day, when he'd cradled his childs body and thanked Gaster for trying.  
How had they slipped so far?  
How had monsters become so broken?  
He broke eye contact, ashamed. "Please, just...do it humanely, OK?" he whispered. The king nodded, a tear leaking from his eye.  
The child was almost vibrating with excitement. It was time to go. Heart bleeding, Gaster bent down and gently bumped his head against hers, the skeleton version of a kiss.  
Behind him, Papyrus and Sans clung to each other and watched. He felt their stare crawling on his back like a judgement.  
"Goodbye, child. Have...fun at the palace."  
"I'll come visit you! I'll bring flowers!"  
A lump caught in his throat and choked his voice.  
"That sounds lovely, dear. Take care. We'll miss you..."  
He would remember the click of the door shutting for the rest of his life. Hands shaking, he bowed his head.  
"...I hope you can forgive me..."


End file.
